HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY

 

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WEST BAY CITY MILLS

H.W. SAGE & CO.

 

            The history of this mill is so intimately connected with that of the beginning of West Bay City, that most of the facts appear in that connection.  The mill was built by the firm of Sage & McGraw in 1864, and commenced running in May, 1865.  It was considered at that time to be at least one of the largest saw mills in the world, and was described as being a monster of the woods—the very head of the mill family.  The main building was 80x120 feet in size, two stories high, having a wing upon one side and a boiler room upon the other.  Five large engines furnished the power.  In 1868 Mr. H.W. Sage purchased the interest of Mr. John McGraw, and the firm was changed to H.W. Sage & Co., two sons of Mr. Sage being partners in the business.  The mill property at the present time represents an investment of $500,000.

            The following account of the twelve hours work performed at this mill November 9, 1967, was recorded at the time by the Bay City Journal:

            “The sawing capacity of the steam saw mill of Sage, McGraw & Co., at Wenona, opposite this city, was tested on Saturday last, the 9th instant.  The amount of lumber sawed that day was greater, we have no doubt, than was ever cut in any saw mill of not larger capacity in the same number of hours.  There are in the mill four gangs, one circular and one mule saw.  The stock and slabber gangs, run by James Corbett and George Winter, cut 151,840 feet; the gangs run by Adolph Plummer, 25,513 feet, making 870,797 feet, most of which was one and a half and two inch stuff.  The total number of logs cut was 713.  Time of cutting, twelve hours.

            “The mill is under the charge of Mr. John G. Emery, who is one of the most thorough-going and energetic mill men in the United States.  The following is a list of the leading men employed in the mill: --M. Haggarty, foreman; A. Daly, assistant foreman; C. Cullen, A. Plummer, James Corbett, A. Trombley, George Winter and John rheim, head sawyers; P. Sova and P. Mannix, head edgers; L. Roundsville, chief engineer; F. Beane, head fireman.  The fitting and hanging of the saws was attended to by W.O. Craft and M. Page.  Messrs. J.B. Ostrander and Nicholas Emery also were on hand and made themselves very useful.  The whole number of men employed was 135.

“At the conclusion of the day’s work Mr. H.W. Sage delivered a short speech to the men, in which he cordially thanked them, and expressed his appreciation of the energy, muscle and skill they had displayed.  The men then dispersed to their homes, after giving six

 

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rousing cheers.  During the whole day no accident to either men or machinery occurred.”

            James Corbett is still sawyer in the same mill; Abbott Plummer is lumbering, and lives in West Bay City; John G. Emery is now of the firm of Emery & Garland, dealers in mill machinery and supplies; M. Haggarty is now foreman of H.J. & C.J. Smith’s mill, West Bay City; L. Roundsville is still chief engineer at the same mill; W.O. Craft is keeping saloon in West Bay City, and N. Emery is present foreman of the same mill.

            The following table gives the product of this mill for each year since it commenced running:

YEAR                                                             FEET

1865                                                                9,048,000

1866                                                                20,225,000

1867                                                                22,952,957

1868                                                                31,388,940

1869                                                                28,697,871

1870                                                                34,450,972

1871                                                                22,442,571

1872                                                                12,940,519

1873                                                                20,370,670

1874                                                                25,111,595

1875                                                                22,223,944     

1876                                                                23,688,606

1877                                                                25,245,990

1878                                                                27,730,525

1879                                                                29,388,976

1880                                                                25,048,987

1881                                                                30,021,264

1882                                                                31,510,317

 

C.E. LEWIS

 

            This mill was built by Whitney, Coite & Co., in 1852.  In 1862 it purchased by the firm of Taylor, Moulthrop & Co., and in 1881 by Mr. Charles E Lewis, the present proprietor.  The mill employs about sixty men and cut last year 12,500,000 feet of lumber.

            Charles E. Lewis was born in Cuyahoga County, in the “Western Reserve” part of Ohio.  In 1851 he, in company with his half-brother, the late J.W. Whittaker, came to this part of Michigan, and was engaged in working at his trade, that of a millwright.  He helped to build what was known as the “Drake” Mill in Bangor, the mill now run by Miller & Lewis at South Bay; also a mill at Carrolton, which was burned down shortly after it started up.  In 1860 and 1861 was in the employ of Henry Doty, at what is now known as the “Peter” Mill.  Some time afterwards was with the late John McDowell in his foundry and machine shop.  Still later was a member of the firm of Smalley Bros. & Lewis, founders and machinists.  In 1876 he bought John S. Taylor’s share in the saw mill owned by Taylor & Moulthrop.  In 1880, Wellington R. Burt, of East Saginaw, bought Mr. Moulthrop’s interest, and the business was carried on under the firm name of Burth & lewis.  In 1881 Mr. Lewis bought out Mr. Burt, and is now sole proprietor of the saw mill and salt works connected therewith.  He was married in 1857 to Mill Lucina Topping, of Cuyahoga Co., Ohio and they have one child, a girl.

 

 

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JOHN WELCH

 

            This is the mill known for many years as the “Drake Mill.”  It was built in the Winter of 1851-’52 by Drake Bros., and in 1853 sold to Kibbee, Whittemore & Co.  After that it had various owners, and was finally purchased by Mr. Welch in 1880.  In 1881 the mill burned, and was rebuilt the following Winter.  It employs about forty men, and cut last year 12,000,000 feet of lumber.

 

KEYSTONE LUMBER AND SALT MAN ‘F’G COMPANY

 

This mill was formerly known as the Lord Mill, having been built by Mr. George Lord in 1854.  Its capacity then was about 25,000 feet of lumber a day, and gave employment to thirty-five men.  In 1866, the present company became its proprietors.  The present cut of the mill is about 20,000,000 feet of lumber a season, and number of men employed about 130.  The officers of the company and D. Noble, president, Philadelphia; C.S. Riley, vice-president, Philadelphia; F. Johnson, superintendent, West Bay City.

            F. Johnson, Superintendent of the Keystone Mill, was born in Salem Co., N.Y., in 1881.  In 1847 removed to Maryland with his father, where they engaged in farming and had also a saw mill.  The father dying in 1853, the mill became the property of the son, who retained it till 1866, when he sold out and came to West Bay City, taking the position which he now holds with the Keystone Lumber & Salt Manufacturing Co.

 

H.J. & C.J. SMITH

 

            This mill was built in 1854 by the firm of Moore, Vose & Co., and at that time had two uprights, a circular and lath mill, with a season capacity of 1,000,000.  In 1858 the property was purchased by the firm of Moore, Smith & Co., and in 1862 they enlarged its capacity to 10,000,000 feet a season, giving employment to thirty-five men.  In 1878 the mill passed into possession of the firm of Peter Smith & Sons.  In November , 1880 Peter Smith died, and his two sons, Henry J. and Charles J. Smith succeeded to the business.  The average cut of their mill is now 20,000,000 a season, and about eighty men are employed.  The firm also manufactures about 35,000 barrels of salt a year.

 

LADERACH BROS.’ SAW MILL AND SALT WORKS

 

            The firm of Laderach Bros. is composed of five brother, Jacob, Rudolff, Charles, Samuel and John.  In 1861 they built a stave mill and cooper shop at Salzburgh, and engaged in the manufacture of barrels; the salt business, then in its infancy, creating a demand for that kind of package.  After running their stave mill for a number of years, they went into the shingle trade, doing a large and successful business as manufacturers.  In 1873 they added a saw mill to their already large establishment.  The mill has a capacity to cut from 6,000,000 to 7,000,000 per season.  In 1873 they purchased from William S. Talman the salt works erected by him in 1863, and now manufacture from

 

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16,000 to 18,000 barrels per annum.  They were originally what was known as a “kettle block,” but the present mode of manufacture is by the “steam process.”

            Laderach Brothers are five in number, and are all natives of Switzerland.  The whole family, consisting of father, mother, seven brothers and four sisters, emigrated to the United States in 1851, and settled on a farm in St. Clair Co., Mich.  The father, mother and the two younger brothers have since gone over to the “silent majority.”  The five who compose the firm of Laderach Bros., manufacturers of lumber and salt, came to the Saginaw Valley in 1857, living in Bay City for four years.  In 1861 they all removed to that part of the township of Bangor which was afterward known as Salzburgh.

            Jacob Laderach married miss Elizabeth Ehrson, of Sandusky, Oho, and they have five children, four daughters and a son.  He was the first school director of District No. 3, Bangor.

            Rudolff Laderach married Miss Catherine C. Laderach, a native of Bavaria, Germany, in 1861, and they have five children, three girls and two boys.  He was elected an alderman for the Third Ward of West Bay City in 1881 and re-elected in 1882.

            Charles Laderach has been married twice; his first wife was a daughter of the late John Miller.  After her death he married Miss Katrine Laderach, a native of Switzerland.  His Family consists of one boy and two girls. 

 

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Samuel and John Laderach, the remaining members of the firm, are unmarried.

 

L.L. HOTCHKISS. & CO.

 

            The mill of this firm is situated a mile south of what was formerly known as Salzburgh.  It was built in the year 1869 by the firm of Brooks & Adams, who operated it until 1872, when it came into the possession of the present proprietors.  The whole mill property includes about thirty-six acres.  They cut an average of 22,000,000 feet of lumber a season, and employ about 110 men.  They have three salt wells, and produce about 55,000 barrels of salt annually.

            L.L. Hotchkiss is a native of Connecticut.  He came to West Bay City in 1863 and entered the employ of Brooks & Adams.  On the death of Mr. Brooks, which occurred in 1872, Mr. Hotchkiss became a member of the firm, the style of which was charged L.L. Hotchkiss & Co., which it still retains.

 

W.H. MALONE & CO.

 

            The mill belonging to this firm was built in 1873 by the firm of Malone & Gardner, which firm was succeeded by W.H. Malone & Co. in 1873.  The mill employs fifty men and cut last season nearly 20,000,000 feet of lumber.

 

 

 

 

 

SMALLEY BROS. & CO.

 

            This mill was built in 1881, by the firm of Slater & Woodworth, and in the Fall of 1882 sold to the present proprietors.  About thirty men are employed.  The mill cut last year 8,000,000 feet of lumber.

 

THE HOUSE MILL, ESSEXVILLE

 

            was built by J.M. Rouse, in the Winter of 1870-’71.  He carried on the business until January, 1878.  It then passed into the hands of his two sons, E.F. and W.B., who have made great improvements, changing it from a circular to a gang mill, doing custom work.  They also added the salt block.  They give employment to about forty men, and turn out about 12,000,000 feet of lumber yearly, and ninety barrels of salt per day.

 

INLAND MILLS

 

            There are the inland mills of Norn & Kent at Sterling; Cross & Dyer, Deep River; John Lentz and J.P. Phillips, Pine River; John Hulburt and J.W. Culver, Moffat; Gorie & Carscallan, Omer; the Pinconning Mill and the Whitney Mill at Whitney.

 

Transcribed by Katie McIllaney
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